In Search of Planet Vulcan:The Ghost in Newton’s Clockwork Universe by Richard Baum and William Sheehan

†† There aren’t many good books on the history of observational astronomy out there.† The public perception of the lone astronomer standing vigil at the eyepiece is rapidly vanishing into the past.

†† In Search of Planet Vulcan reads like a good mystery novel.† Few have heard the curious and intriguing tale of the search for inter-mercurial planets.† Now a considered a scientific dead end, little is ever†mentioned of the false pathways of science.† But to the denizens of the late 19th century, Vulcan was real.† Coins were even minted celebrating its supposed discovery. The book leads the readers through Herschels’ accidental discovery of Uranus, the mathematical triumph of the theoretical discovery of Neptune, and the eventual quest to discover a planet between the sun and Mercury to account for its unexplained motion.† The hunt thickens as a French country doctor announces the observation of a spot transiting the sun. †It was interesting to note that much of his calculations were done on a barn door! Although his instrustment used for the discovery was briefly mentioned, I would have †liked to see more on how historical observations of the sun†were done. Traditionally the projection method was the easiest (and safest!) way to observe the sun, but smoked†glass was also used. Perhaps the authors didn’t want to be responsible for reviving dubious methods?

††† The book also lists several anomalous reports Vulcan (apparently, everyone was seeing strange spots on the sun†in the 18th-19th century!) and climaxes with an expedition to the solar eclipse of 1878 in Wyoming.† The plan was to sweep the area near the darkened sun for interlopers during the brief 2 minutes and 56 seconds of totality. None other than Thomas Edison also gets into the act, using his tasimeter to measure the†temperature of the suns’ corona as a side line.†

†† In Search of Planet Vulcan displays to true methodology of science.† All to often, our acculmated knowledge is displayed as a rote set of facts;† the torturous path to enlightenment is never seen.† I heartily recomend this book to anyone interested in the scientific method or astronomical†history. Or even anyone just looking for a good mystery!†††

Comments

My appeciation for this book is astronomical (pardon the irresistable pun). Seriously, for years I have mulled over images, my own and those from many other sources that show other planets and anomolies around the sun. This book validates that Im most definately not alone. As a matter of fact, the credentials of the Vulcan seekers of the last 150 years are quite amazing, irrefutable, and most interesting according to this well written and researched book. I simply loved it!

Trackbacks

[...] question; now finding new planets became the sexiest thing in observational astronomy. The illusive Vulcan†crept temporarily on the list in the late 19th century; likewise, Pluto also followed suit and was [...]

[...] fangled tasimeter on the corona of the Sun, and the eclipse was also famously known as the planet Vulcanís Last Stand. The Carbon County Museum has an exhibit dedicated to Edison, and a curious mural remains on the [...]

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